High-five by Indian girls

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 14: A clean sweep always augurs well -- it keeps the team's morale high. That's precisely how the Indian camp was feel...

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 14: A clean sweep always augurs well — it keeps the team’s morale high. That’s precisely how the Indian camp was feeling after their girls toyed with a young Australian brigade in the BPL-Asian Thomas/ Uber Cup first stage events at the IG Indoor Stadium here today.

A 5-0 verdict on Monday, after their 4-1 win over Singapore, has already hoisted the Indian girls on to the second stage of the competition and, from all angles, would put them atop Group A, assuming they beat the Sri Lankans, whom they meet on Tuesday in their last group engagement. But that does not give the Indians any respite as they will form part of the group which has Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong, the first two figuring among the three best teams in the world. Considering that, the other group comprising Japan, Korea and Thailand may be a little easier, but nothing can be taken for granted in a competition of this level.

After all, these are teams with proven credentials. In other words, the Indian girlsshould be happy even if they manage to take a game or two off these opponents when they meet them in the second stage.

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In the first singles today, Kellie Lucas, ranked 12 rungs below the Indian spearhead Aparna Popat (29), showed the typical Aussie grit. Despite Aparna running up a 3-0 lead, the Aussie caught up with her soon and took lead for the first time at 5-4. From then on, it was a tough battle of sorts with the Indian struggling to feel her feet. The points went with serve-and-toss with a few cross-court rallies being employed by both.

Lucas fought well to take three points off Aparna to surge into a point lead at 10-9. But by that time, the 22-year-old Indian had gauged the speed of the draft inside the hall and was able to control the flight as she reeled off four straight points with a couple of service changes to sew up the first game.

Having sized up her opponent, Aparna did not take chances in the second as she allowed her rival just two points before the Indian was up by seven points.Serving for the match, Aparna missed an easy volley as the shuttle hit the net cord and went out. The Aussie girl, seizing the opportunity, added three more points before Aparna shut her out.

After having failed in their experiment, the coaches promptly gave BR Meenakshi her due and she did not disappoint them. The Indian, ranked 63, trailing against Jane Crabtree (139) initially, came up well to display her shot-making prowess. She first tied at 4-4, then at 5-5 and from that stage onwards it was the Indian all the way, claiming six points on the trot.

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Having gained in confidence, the Southern Railway employee outsmarted her opponent with excellent backcourt play and with smart drop volleys and cross-court shots rummaged through Crabtree before relaxing a bit at match-point. Crabtree tried to pull back and took four points off Meenakshi before the inevitable came.

After Manjusha Kanwar beat Laura Blackman 11-3, 11-2, the doubles affairs that followed became a mere formality. The Indian pairs of PVVLakshmi/ Madhumita Bisht and Manjusha Kanwar/ Shruti S Kurian won their games without having to sweat it out much.

Results

Uber Cup (Group-A): India bt Australia 5-0 (Aparna Popat bt Kellie Lucas 13-10 11-5; BR Meenakshi bt Jane Crabtree 11-5 11-4; Manjusha Kanwar bt Laura Blackman 11-3 11-2; PVV Lakshmi/ Madhumita Bisht bt Vanessa Tyrrel/ Tania Luiz 15-6 15-4; Manjusha Kanwar/ Shruti S Kurian bt Kellie Lucas/Jane Crabtree 15-9 15-1.

Thomas Cup: Group A: Australia bt Iran 4-1 (Stuart Brehaut vs Ali Shahhoseini 15-6 15-5; Nathan Malpass bt Reza Roshanomid 15-3 15-6; Stuart Brehaut/ Clint Pegrum bt Afshin Bozorgzadeh/ Ali Shahhoseini 15-9 15-10; Leonard Tjoe lost to Sadegh Jarbassi 6-15 11-15; Nathan Malpass/ Stuart Gomez bt Reza Roshanomid/ Arash Abdul Moham 13-15 15-8 15-9.

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Group B (friendly): Singapore bt Zambia 5-0 (Ronald Susilo bt Stanley Pitiri Mwangulu 15-3 15-5; Chuon Loong Kenny Quek bt Eli Mambwe 15-9 15-3; Teck Gerald Ho Hee bt Lucio Mambwe 15-2 15-2; Kim TongPatrick Lau/Aman Satosa bt Stanley Pitiri Mwangulu/ Eli Mambwe 15-8 15-3; Faris Mawardi/ Dicky Purwotjugio bt Eli Mambwe/ Lucio Mambwe 15-6 15-2.